Don’t Want to Mistake Your Gym for a Club?
You know when you’re out dancing and the DJ starts playing your song? You scream along with your girlfriends and start dancing like there’s no tomorrow? (Come on, ‘fess up!)
That totally happened to me the other day! A familiar beat filled the room and my girlfriends and I started shakin’ our hips like Shakira in the “Whenever, Wherever” video. I looked around for the bar to get my drink of choice.
Only there wasn’t a bar.
And this wasn’t a club.
And, oh crap, I was actually supposed to be paying attention to an instructor and not dropping it like it’s hot?!
Yes, my friends, I was at the gym doing their “Hip Hop Hustle” class and had briefly been tele-transported to Studio 54.
Hip Hop Hustle is for you if:
- You don’t mind listening to top-40, hip-hop music.
- You don’t mind exercises that emphasize shaking the “goods.” Yes, we shook our money-makers all over the place. There seems to be a common thread in Hip Hop Hustle as well as Turbo Kick Boxing whereby shaking and/or slapping the booty make for great exercise moves. Don’t ask me, I don’t teach these classes.
- You can easily separate reality – you’re at the gym for goodness’s sake – from the pseudo-reality that the familiar songs might create. Don’t judge! I had trouble!
- You’ve already done a work-out and are just looking to have some fun without a physical challenge. Thankfully, I had ran a few miles before the class because if I had been depending on that hour-long class for an actual work-out, I would have been a tad bit more cranky than usual! I honestly would have had more of a work-out had I truly been at a club dancing.
- You don’t mind sweaty, male on-lookers planted in front of the class window who, for the sake of pretending to have a purpose for being there, would occasionally lift a weight in an awkward, dazed stupor. First off, do we really need to do our fitness classes in a see-through box right out in the open and in front of the weight-machine area? I mean really! Secondly, come on guys! If you’re going to stare, at least try to be subtle! Don’t crowd up to the front, mouths agape. oy!
The Cranky One’s recommendation? Gather your friends for your own hip-hop hustle class in the privacy of your home. No, seriously, you will probably get more of a work-out, will avoid the gawking men, and you can enjoy dancing how you want to dance instead of following instructions to slap your booty.
Have you guys ever taken this class at 24-Hour Fitness or elsewhere? Ever taken a class where dudes literally stand so close to the window gawking that you can see their breath fogging it up?
What are you guys up to this weekend? I’m going to a block party tomorrow but haven’t been to one since I was like 10! What does one even do at a block party?
I will be posting this weekend, but want to give you a sneak-peek into some upcoming posts. Monday is Jen and my challenge weigh-in, so be sure to check back for that! Also, remember here I referred to loving friends with whom I may be 100% honest? Well the honest truth is that I was honest with a friend about avoiding being fully honest on my blog (haha you like that many uses of the word “honest”?). Thing is — I have been struggling with the challenge and haven’t been 100% honest to you guys or to myself. When asked why I felt I couldn’t be brutally honest on my blog, I said, “Well, I feel like I should have this down by now! I should be able to be a positive example now after 6 years! I don’t want people to know that while it does get easier, it never really becomes easy and that I have awful days just as bad as when I was beginning this journey!” My wise friend said, “Bellie, that’s what your blog is about, isn’t it? To be honest about your journey?” Le sigh. Yes, yes, it is. So look forward to a post where I bare my soul.
<3,
The Cranky One
p.s. Check out SnackFace’s blog giveway here! Tons of loot! (I heard about it from Hungry Hungry Hippie).
Tags: 24 hour fitness, fitness, hip hop hustle, work-out
16 People have left comments on this post
I’m actually not a fan of classes (other than spin class) at the gym for many of the reasons you posted – but mainly because I feel like I get more “work” for my “work-out” when I do my own thing. The only class I really, really loved was boxing/kickboxing class, which I can never attend now because of the times it’s offered at. Oh well.
Weekend will be quick – I work today till about 6ish, will be home around 7ish, and then not sure what I’m going to do. Probably cry and then pass out from exhaustion. Tomorrow we’ll be at the in-laws for the local city parade, and Sunday is a bike ride with some friends. Then back to work on Monday…ah well.
My weekend will consist of staying home.
I’m lucky that my town does a fireworks show, a whole to-do really. But that’s not really why i’m lucky. I can see the fireworks from my back yard. We won’t be staying home though. We’ll be walking (not driving) to the park which is over a mile away to watch the festivities and let the kiddo play at the park. Yeah us. Otherwise, it’ll be a normal weekend as usual for us. That’s ok though.
As for not being 100% honest with us. I think we all do it… when we are really struggling and are even embarrased with ourselves… who REALLY wants to admit it to the world via blogging or even in real life to those around us. No one wants to put it out there for every one to see. I do think that after a while… we all finally fess up and then get on with our blogging. We are all human and blogging doesn’t change that. For me… I know this journey will get easier, but i also think… how can it be THAT easy… Because some people never fess up and I think… OMG! To be them… and then I think… yeah but that’s not real. And I enjoy (I know i’m sick) knowing it’s a struggle for everyone…. because it helps me know I’ll be ok… see it does get easier, but yes you will still struggle. My laziness will never go away… I’ll still struggle and I’ll be ok because look… you are, they are… etc…
Even when you struggle, you’re still an inspiration just for being you! And that’s what’s important.
being true to who YOU are is where the inspiration comes from. 
Annabel. I have been at this as long as you are probably alive & don’t feel bad about your last paragraph. I am like you in telling people that sometimes it just never gets easy. For me, it has always been hard & with the body changing multiple time in our adult life as women, we have to keep fighting all the changes. It is hard work & always will be some work so… good fro you about being honest about it! I am scared to say that on my blog too as I don’t want to scare people from working on getting healthy BUT it is worth the effort!
Have a great weekend…. nothing too exciting for us.. hanging & resting.. hopefully!
haha your post cracked me up. SO true about some of those classes. At my gym, there are only a few classes that I feel are worth the hour of my time, the rest of them, if i go it is because I finished my workout and just feel like taking a class for fun. As for having difficulties and being honest, I sometimes struggle with honesty in my blog too. I always end up baring my soul, but it is hard when you know there are people looking up to you. People will often write to me how inspirational I am, and if I slip up, I almost feel as though I am letting those people down. The truth is, we have these blogs to show the REAL us. If people wanted the fake version of weight loss/getting fit-healthy-whatever you want to call it, they could just turn on an infomercial that would tell them they can lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks without any effort!!!! Yay! What a break-through in science!!! Why isn’t NASA all over this one?!?! …Ha yeah, you get my point. Don’t be afraid to be honest. Your blog is awesome and seeing that you struggle after all you have been through is actually helpful to others who think they are the only one. Sorry for the novel comment haha!
I’ve definitely been to those types of classes, and you’re right – better do them AFTER an actual workout
Regarding you being honest, I think it’s a little sad that so many bloggers feel like they need to be “perfect” on their blog and set a true example (me included, very often) but the truth is we’re real people with real struggles, and that’s what’s relatable about so many of us. I’m looking forward to your soul baring post
I’m not a 100% in it all the time. At times i feel that I might be the only one, which is why I love reading blogs on those people that struggle. Be open and real, it’s what we all need in order to get back on track when we fall off the weight loss wagon
You know Annabel, I’m more confident now then when I started this health journey that it never will be easy. If it was easy, 75% of the United States would not be considered overweight or obese. This is a constant struggle, one we will have forever. Forever is a long time which is why you and me and so many of our bloggin’ friends gotta keep sharing our struggles so that people just starting out in their journey don’t feel like their alone. There is a purpose here – your are experiencing this for a reason. You are exactly where you need to be at this moment & are doing great!
hahahha you crack me up girlfriend! nothing better than busting some moves while getting in a killer workout.. love it!
for the record — whenever the DJ cranks up “damaged” by danity kane me and my girlies go crazy.. typical.
Annabel, you crack me up!! you at me at hello with this post. I so know the “OMG THIS IS MY SONG!!!” scream & dance like a crazy person moves. haha I love it!
LOL too funny
I agree in liking spin out of all the gym classes. I can’t wait for your upcoming blog. May we all not eat too bad this weekend!
Haha, you crack me up! I think I would enjoy a hip-hop class just for the fun of it, but not with gawking men!!! Last week I tried a step class that was out in the open compared to other classes I’ve done and I wasn’t diggin’ that much. *sigh* I think next time I go dancing, I’m going to wear my HRM to see how many cals I burn. haha…
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